"Latin This language was chosen so as to favour neither French nor English, the two official languages of Canada. New Zealand was the third country to adapt the VC into its own honours system. While the New Zealand and Australian VCs are technically separate awards, the decoration is identical to the British design, including being cast from the same Crimean War gunmetal as the British VC. The Canadian Victoria Cross also includes metal from the same cannon, along with copper and other metals from all regions of Canada. Five of the separate VCs have so far been awarded. Willie Apiata"
"simple decoration that would be highly prized and eagerly sought after by those in the military services. To maintain its simplicity, Queen Victoria, under the guidance of Prince Albert, vetoed the suggestion that the award be called ""The Military Order of Victoria"" and instead suggested the name ""Victoria Cross"". The original warrant stated that the Victoria Cross would only be awarded to officers and men who had served in the presence of the enemy and had performed some signal act of valour or devotion. The first ceremony was held on 26 June 1857 at which Queen Victoria invested 62 of"
"Victoria Cross The Victoria Cross (VC) is the highest and most prestigious award of the British honours system. It is awarded for gallantry ""in the presence of the enemy"" to members of the British Armed Forces. It may be awarded posthumously. It was previously awarded to Commonwealth countries, most of which have established their own honours systems and no longer recommend British honours. It may be awarded to a person of any military rank in any service and to civilians under military command although no civilian has received the award since 1879. Since the first awards were presented by Queen"
"century that calls for Indian troops to be awarded the Victoria Cross intensified. Indian troops became eligible for the award in 1911. The first awards to Indian troops appeared in the ""London Gazette"" on 7 December 1914 to Darwan Sing Negi and Khudadad Khan. Negi was presented with the Victoria Cross by King George V during a visit to troops in France. The presentation occurred on 5 December 1914 and he is one of a very few soldiers presented with his award before it appeared in the ""London Gazette"". Since the Second World War, most but not all Commonwealth countries"
"regiments that had served at Gallipoli and withdrawn to Egypt, were formed into the 1st, 2nd, 3rd and 4th Dismounted Brigades, and deployed to defend the Suez Canal. Eighteen regiments were then converted to twelve infantry battalions, and assigned to the 74th (Yeomanry) Division in March 1917. The division fought in several engagements in the Sinai before being transferred to France. The Victoria Cross is the United Kingdom's highest award for valour in the face of the enemy. Six yeoman were recipients of the award during the First World War. The first was awarded 21 August 1915, to Private Fred"
"the Victoria Cross. On 12 June 1915 at Givenchy-lès-la-Bassée, France, Lance-Corporal Angus voluntarily left his trench to rescue a wounded officer, fellow Carluke man Lieutenant James Martin, who was lying within a few yards of the enemy's position and had been injured by a mine. To do this he had to travel through 64 metres in no-man's land under heavy bomb and rifle fire, and received about 40 wounds, some of them being very serious, including the loss of his left eye. His commanding officer said there had been no braver deed in the history of the British Army. After"
"weapon supposedly captured at the siege of Sevastopol, but several historians have since questioned the true origin of the gunmetal. Originally all Commonwealth recipients were issued with the same award, but over the last 50 years, some Commonwealth countries have introduced separate award systems; three of these retain ""Victoria Cross"" as part of the name of the highest award for gallantry. The original Victoria Cross was created by Queen Victoria in 1856 to recognise incidents of gallantry that were unconnected with a man's lengthy or meritorious service. She signed a Royal Warrant on 29 January 1856 that officially instituted the"
"William Allison White William Allison White VC TD (19 October 1894 – 13 September 1974) was an English recipient of the Victoria Cross, the highest and most prestigious award for gallantry in the face of the enemy that can be awarded to British and Commonwealth forces. He was 23 years old, and a temporary second lieutenant in the 38th Battalion, Machine Gun Corps (part of the 38th (Welsh) Division), British Army during the First World War when the following deed took place for which he was awarded the VC. On 18 September 1918 at Gouzeaucourt, France, when the advance was"
"was awarded the Victoria Cross, on November 11, 1921. United Kingdom decorations were awarded extensively to U.S. service members during both the First World War and World War II. The orders of chivalry were reserved mainly for senior U.S. military leaders. The remaining decorations were awarded frequently amongst the entire enlisted and officer corps of the U.S. military. The Distinguished Flying Cross was a common decoration for those Americans attached to the Eagle Squadrons; when some of those personnel transferred back to the United States Army Air Forces after America entered the war, the British DFC became a fairly common"
"Henry Ritchie Henry Peel Ritchie VC (29 January 1876 – 9 December 1958) was a recipient of the Victoria Cross, the highest and most prestigious award for valour ""in the face of the enemy"" that can be given to members of the British and Commonwealth armed forces. Ritchie received the first VC awarded to naval personnel during the First World War for his actions during a raid on the German colonial harbour of Dar-es-Salaam in November 1914, which left him seriously wounded. Despite the courage of his actions during the raid, Ritchie was not initially recommended for the Victoria Cross."
"of the British Victoria Cross. There are three living recipients of the Victoria Cross for Australia and one living recipient of the Victoria Cross for New Zealand. In 1921, the British Unknown Warrior was awarded the US Medal of Honor and reciprocally the Victoria Cross was presented to the American Unknown Soldier of the First World War. This is the only ungazetted VC award and is included in the total of 1,358 awards. Three people have been awarded the VC and Bar, the bar representing a second award of the VC. They are: Noel Chavasse and Arthur Martin-Leake, both doctors"
"Victoria Cross is displayed at the Imperial War Museum in London. Godfrey Place Rear Admiral Basil Charles Godfrey Place, (19 July 1921 – 27 December 1994), known as Godfrey Place, was an officer in the Royal Navy and a recipient of the Victoria Cross, the highest award for gallantry in the face of the enemy that can be awarded to British and Commonwealth forces. He was 22 years old, and a lieutenant in the Royal Navy during the Second World War when the following deed took place for which he was awarded the VC. On 22 September 1943 at Kåfjord,"
"Wilfred Wood Wilfred Wood VC (2 February 1897 – 3 January 1982) was an English recipient of the Victoria Cross, the highest and most prestigious award for gallantry in the face of the enemy that can be awarded to British and Commonwealth forces. The VC was awarded for action on the Italian front against Austro-Hungarian forces in the First World War. He was 21 years old, and a private in the 10th Battalion, The Northumberland Fusiliers, British Army during the First World War when the following deed took place at the battle of Vittorio Veneto for which he was awarded"
"replaced by the title New Zealand Cross. The question of whether awards could be made to colonial troops not serving with British troops was raised in South Africa in 1881. Surgeon John McCrea, an officer of the South African forces was recommended for gallantry during hostilities which had not been approved by the British Government. He was awarded the Victoria Cross and the principle was established that gallant conduct could be rewarded independently of any political consideration of military operations. More recently, four Australian soldiers were awarded the Victoria Cross in Vietnam although Britain was not involved in the conflict."
"James Smith (VC) James Smith VC (1871 – 18 March 1946) was an English recipient of the Victoria Cross, the highest and most prestigious award for gallantry in the face of the enemy that can be awarded to British and Commonwealth forces. Smith was about 26 years old, and a corporal in The Buffs (East Kent Regiment), British Army during the First Mohmand Campaign, British India when the following deed took place for which he was awarded the VC. On the night of 16/17 September 1897, in the Mamund Valley, North-West India, Corporal Smith, with other men, responded to a"
"War Museum in London, England. William Burman William Francis Burman (30 August 1897 – 23 October 1974) was an English recipient of the Victoria Cross, the highest and most prestigious award for gallantry in the face of the enemy that can be awarded to British and Commonwealth forces. Burman was 20 years old, and a sergeant in the 16th Battalion, The Rifle Brigade (Prince Consort's Own), British Army during the First World War when the following deed took place for which he was awarded the VC. During the Battle of the Menin Road Ridge on 20 September 1917 south-east of"
"July 1917. His Victoria Cross is displayed at the Royal Fusiliers Museum in the Tower of London. George Jarratt George Jarratt VC (20 July 1891 – 3 May 1917) was an English recipient of the Victoria Cross, the highest and most prestigious award for gallantry in the face of the enemy that can be awarded to British and Commonwealth forces. Jarratt was awarded the VC for a deed which took place when he was 25 years old on 3 May 1917 near Pelves, France. He was a corporal in the 8th Battalion, The Royal Fusiliers, British Army during the First"
"during the Battle of Derapet in Oruzgan Province, Afghanistan, on 24 August 2010. A posthumous award was made to Corporal Cameron Baird for actions in Afghanistan in 2013. A Canadian version has been cast that was originally to be awarded to the Unknown Soldier at the rededication of the Vimy Memorial on 7 April 2007. This date was chosen as it was the 90th anniversary of the battle of Vimy Ridge but pressure from veterans' organisations caused the plan to be dropped. As the highest award for valour of the United Kingdom, the Victoria Cross is always the first award"
"1911 when Indian servicemen became eligible for the Victoria Cross. A civilian division of the IOM also existed between 1902 and 1939, however, it was only conferred very rarely. The medal was first introduced by the East India Company in 1837, under the name ""Order of Merit"" and was taken over by the Crown in 1858, following the Indian Mutiny of 1857. The name of the medal was changed in 1902 to avoid confusion with a British Order of the same name. The Indian Order of Merit was the only gallantry medal available to Native soldiers between 1837 and 1907"
"Victoria Cross is displayed at The King's Own Royal (Lancaster) Regiment Museum in Lancaster, England. Harry Christian Harry Christian VC (17 January 1892 – 2 September 1974) was an English recipient of the Victoria Cross, the highest and most prestigious award for gallantry in the face of the enemy that can be awarded to members of the British and Commonwealth armed forces. Christian was 23 years old, and a private in the 2nd Battalion, King's Own Royal Regiment (Lancaster), British Army during the First World War when the following deed took place at Cuinchy, France, for which he was awarded"
"Albert White (VC) Albert White VC (1 December 1892 in Liverpool – 19 May 1917) was an English recipient of the Victoria Cross, the highest and most prestigious award for gallantry in the face of the enemy that can be awarded to British and Commonwealth forces. White was 24 years old, and a sergeant in the 2nd Battalion, The South Wales Borderers, British Army during the First World War when the following deed took place for which he was awarded the VC. On 19 May 1917 at Monchy-le-Preux, France, Sergeant White, realising during an attack that one of the enemy's"
"1965, four to Australians in the Vietnam War, two during the Falklands War in 1982, one in the Iraq War in 2004, and three in the War in Afghanistan for actions in 2006, 2012 and 2013. In 1856, Queen Victoria laid a Victoria Cross beneath the foundation stone of Netley Military hospital. When the hospital was demolished in 1966 the VC, known as ""The Netley VC"", was retrieved and is now on display in the Army Medical Services Museum, Mytchett, near Aldershot. This VC is not counted in official statistics. Since 1879, more than 300 Victoria Crosses have been publicly"
"the award, albeit one who had not served in the Australian forces and who had been born elsewhere. Frederick Whirlpool Frederick Whirlpool VC (1829 – 24 June 1899) was an English recipient of the Victoria Cross, the highest and most prestigious award for gallantry in the face of the enemy that can be awarded to British and Commonwealth forces. In his later life, Whirlpool migrated to Australia; as a result, he is sometimes claimed as an Australian VC recipient although his name is not included in the official count. Little is known of Whirlpool's early life. He is believed to"
"William Reynolds (VC) William Reynolds VC (1827 – 20 October 1869) was a Scottish recipient of the Victoria Cross, the highest and most prestigious award for gallantry in the face of the enemy that can be awarded to British and Commonwealth forces. Reynolds was the first private to receive the award. He was about 27 years old, and a private in the Scots Fusilier Guards, British Army during the Crimean War when the following deed took place for which he was awarded the VC. On 20 September 1854 at the Battle of the Alma, Crimean Peninsula, when the formation of"
"David Jones (VC) David Jones VC (10 January 1892 – 7 October 1916) was an English recipient of the Victoria Cross, the highest and most prestigious award for gallantry in the face of the enemy that can be awarded to British and Commonwealth forces. Jones was 24 years old, and a sergeant in the 12th Battalion, The King's (Liverpool) Regiment, British Army during the First World War when the following deed took place for which he was awarded the VC. On 3 September 1916 at Guillemont, France, the platoon to which Serjeant Jones belonged was ordered to a forward position"
"Sidney Godley Sidney Frank Godley VC (14 August 1889 – 29 June 1957) was an English recipient of the Victoria Cross, the highest and most prestigious award for gallantry in the face of the enemy that can be awarded to British and Commonwealth forces. He was the first private soldier awarded the VC in World War I. Godley was born on 14 August 1889 in East Grinstead, West Sussex, the son of Avis (née Newton) and Frank Godley. His mother died in 1896, and he was sent to live with his aunt and uncle in Willesden, London. He was educated"
"single action is seven, to the 2nd/24th Foot, for the defence of Rorke's Drift, 22–23 January 1879, during the Zulu War. The greatest number won in a single conflict is 628, being for the First World War. There are five living holders of the VC—one RAF (WW2), three British Army (Confrontation, Iraq and Afghanistan) and one Australian Army (Vietnam). Eight of the then-twelve surviving holders of the Victoria Cross attended the 150th Anniversary service of remembrance at Westminster Abbey on 26 June 2006. In the 1990s, Australia and New Zealand created their own highest award with both named in honour"
"Cross are inherently valuable, as was highlighted on 24 July 2006, when at the auctionhouse Bonhams in Sydney, the VC which had been awarded to First World War soldier Captain Alfred Shout, fetched a world-record hammer price of $1 million. Shout had been awarded the Victoria Cross posthumously in 1915 for hand-to-hand combat at the Lone Pine trenches in Gallipoli, Turkey. The buyer, Kerry Stokes, has lent it to the Australian War Memorial for display with the eight other Victoria Crosses awarded to Australians at Gallipoli. The Australian War Memorial in Canberra currently holds 66 Victoria Crosses, 63 awarded to"
"William Jackson (Australian soldier) John William Alexander ""Bill"" Jackson, VC (13 September 1897 – 4 August 1959) was an Australian recipient of the Victoria Cross (VC), the highest award for gallantry in the face of the enemy that can be awarded to British and Commonwealth forces. Jackson was awarded the Victoria Cross in 1916 for selfless courage under heavy fire while rescuing his comrades near Armentières in France during the First World War. Jackson is the youngest Australian to have been awarded a Victoria Cross. His was the first VC to be won by an Australian on the Western Front."
"Victoria Cross awarded to a Canadian soldier during the Normandy campaign (6 June 1944 through to the end of August 1944), and the only VC ever awarded to a member of the Royal Canadian Armoured Corps. The then 32 year-old Currie was a Major in The South Alberta Regiment, Canadian Army during the Second World War. During the Battle of Falaise, Normandy, between 18–20 August 1944, Currie was in command of a small mixed force of tanks, self-propelled anti-tank guns, and infantry which had been ordered to cut off one of the Germans' main escape routes. After Currie led the"
"Thomas Woodcock (VC) Thomas Woodcock VC (19 March 1888 – 27 March 1918) was an English recipient of the Victoria Cross, the highest and most prestigious award for gallantry in the face of the enemy that can be awarded to British and Commonwealth forces. Woodcock was 29 years old, and a private in the 2nd Battalion, Irish Guards, British Army during the First World War when the following deed took place for which he was awarded the VC. On 12/13 September 1917 north of Broenbeek, Belgium, when an advanced post had held out for 96 hours and was finally forced"
"1 January 1993. All military valour decorations may be awarded posthumously. The Victoria Cross (post-nominal letters ""VC"", ) is the highest award for valour available to members of the Canadian Forces of any rank, in any service, and allies serving under or with Canadian military command. Based on the British version of the same medal, it is only awarded for extraordinary valour and devotion to duty while facing a hostile force. Prior to 1993, the original Victoria Cross was awarded to 94 Canadians, none of whom are now living; since its creation, no Canadian Victoria Cross has been issued. The"
"James Hutchinson (VC) James Hutchinson VC (9 July 1895 – 22 January 1972) was an English recipient of the Victoria Cross, the highest and most prestigious award for gallantry in the face of the enemy that can be awarded to British and Commonwealth forces. He was serving with the British Army during the First World War at the time of the award. Hutchinson was 20 years old, and a private in the 2/5th Battalion, The Lancashire Fusiliers, British Army on 28 June 1916 when his actions in Ficheux, France earned him the Victoria Cross. His citation reads: He later achieved"